Harvest Gala

Chef Patrick emerged onto the local restaurant scene in 2011 when he opened his first restaurant, Salvatore’s Tomato Pies, in Sun Prairie. His classic tomato pies, made in reverse and topped with his signature tomato swirl, quickly had customers saying “the best pizza in Madison is in Sun Prairie.” At the end of 2014, he officially entered the Madison market with a Sal’s location on East Johnson Street. Patrick is a Madison Area Chefs Network board member, a Yum Yum Fest co-organizer, and a school lunch activist. He was a recipient of a 2015 Edible Madison Local Hero Award for his efforts to bring farm-fresh local food to area schools.

Chef Juan Martinez is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He oversees all culinary operations at Madison’s Edgewater Hotel, including four restaurants – The Statehouse, Augie’s Tavern, The Icehouse and The Boathouse – as well as banquets and special events. As executive chef, he brings his unparalleled expertise to every outlet at the hotel. Originally from East Lansing, Michigan, Martinez has honed his culinary skills at some of the country’s premier hotels and restaurants, including Four Seasons Hotel Boston, The Little Nell, The Greenbrier, and Aspen Skiing Company. Martinez sources Wisconsin cheese from nearby master cheesemakers, fish, poultry and beef from independent local farms and seasonal produce from Madison’s world-class farmer’s markets.

Chef Scott Phillips has been cooking since he learned to walk and could follow his mom around the kitchen. Originally from Houston, he moved to Madison as a teen and went to Madison West. Returning to Texas, he came up through the kitchen ranks in Austin with a number of restaurants in the McGuire Moorman Hospitality Group, working every job from prep cook to executive sous chef; it was there that he met mentors who helped him transition from a solid cook to a true leader in the kitchen. After joining Brasserie V as sous chef in 2017, he has recently taken the reins as head chef.

A Florida native, Executive Chef Andrew Vogel began cooking in Wisconsin over 15 years ago at the supper club Springer’s of Lake Kegonsa. Andrew came to Merchant in January of 2019 with a diverse culinary background holding a chef level position most recently at The Madison Club here in Madison, and formerly, the Quisisana Resort in Maine, Le Pavillon by the Sea in St. Martin French West Indies, and Amali in New York City. First learning to cook with his mother before she passed away, it was his grandmother that took him to get his first job as a dishwasher at then Sunnyside, and from there he never looked back. Andrew brings to Merchant a special passion for locally produced farm-to-table cuisine, wild game, foraged ingredients and a love for all things Mediterranean. Since returning to Wisconsin in 2016, he has enjoyed forming relationships with local farmers, producers, and other chefs within the community. When not at Merchant, you can find Andrew at home gardening, hunting, fishing, or spending time with his family.

Gilbert Altschul was born and raised in Madison, WI. After high school he obtained his B.A. in business at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater followed by an A.A. from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. In addition to working in Scottsdale, Gilbert spent time cooking in San Diego and Chicago before moving back to Madison to open Grampa’s Pizzeria and the neighboring Gib’s Bar. He is currently working on a project to revitalize the historic train station on West Washington Avenue. Gilbert’s family has a long restaurant history in Madison and most of the menu he created at Mickey’s Tavern 10 years ago remains unchanged.

Chef Dannells has been working in food for over 20 years and has developed a deep technical skillset and passion for Wisconsin heritage and farm-to-table cooking philosophy. He has worked extensively at James Beard Award-winning restaurants including L’Etoile in Madison under Odessa Piper and Tory Miller as well as Blackbird under Paul Kahan.

David Heide is the owner and executive chef at Liliana’s Restaurant, named after his daughter Liliana. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu, then worked for El Bizcocho in San Diego, where he met is wife, and for Sicilliano’s in Vista, California. After moving back to Madison, he worked for several kitchens before opening Liliana’s. Chef Heide is incredibly passionate about sourcing local ingredients, not only for their sustainability benefits but because fresh ingredients taste better. He works with dozens of farmers on a regular basis and grows herbs and raises chickens for the restaurant. David’s parents met in New Orleans, and Liliana’s food is Wisconsin-inspired with a Creole twist.

Originally from the Madison area, Jon received his culinary degree from The Art Institutes International Minnesota. He fully immersed himself in the Minneapolis food scene with positions at James Beard-nominated restaurants The Bachelor Farmer and Vincent, A Restaurant. While studying and cooking abroad in Engelberg, Switzerland, Jon gained an appreciation for old world techniques and Swiss cuisine. After college he followed his passion for local food to the Driftless where he acted as crew chef on several organic farms in Viroqua, deepening his reverence for sustainable farming practices. In 2013 he helped open Heritage Tavern, where he’s spent the past six years, save for one at Nostrano learning from Tim and Elizabeth Dahl. These days, in addition to running the kitchen at Heritage, Jon can be found foraging and working the land he rents from Terra Growers Cooperative – or watching the Packers and Brewers, drinking local brews.

Chef Josh Chavez was born and raised in the Portage Park neighborhood of Chicago. Enjoying diversity and a well-rounded experience in work, he found himself cooking in a variety of Chicago kitchens from Big Jones to Smoque BBQ.   Taking a break from the city, he moved to Galena, Illinois, where he helped open the Galena Brewing Company. Looking to round out his hospitality experience, he stepped into the front of house, managing a farm-to-table restaurant, One Eleven Main. This led him to Madison, in July of 2016, coming to work and hone his craft at L’Etoile as Maître d’. Looking to move back into the kitchen, Josh was excited to help Matt and Andrea open Longtable in October 2017.